Jacques-Cartier Bridge - Québec Jacques-Cartier Bridge Subscribe for articles and news about Quebec: Email: Jacques-Cartier Bridge Jacques-Cartier Bridge The Jacques-Cartier Bridge is a steel bridge of total length of 2687 metres crossing the Saint Lawrence River from Montreal Island to the south shore at Longueuil. Its longest span is of more than 334 metres. The bridge crosses Sainte-Helene Island in the centre of the river, where off-ramps allow access to the Parc Jean-Drapeau and La Ronde amusement park. It was opened on May 14, 1930. Originally named the Montreal Harbour Bridge, the bridge was renamed in 1934 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jacques Cartier's discovery of Canada. The bridge was a toll bridge from its opening until 1962 and a toll plaza was located on the southern approach. The toll plaza area now houses the offices of the corporation that owns and operates the structure and the nearby Champlain Bridge. Tokens were issued for part of the period that tolls were collected.

The bridge was designed as a road, tramway, and pedestrian bridge; however tramway tracks were installed but never used. The roadway was expanded in 1956 and 1959 to include the space allocated to the tramway tracks, adding an extra lane of traffic in each direction. The two sidewalks were outside the bridge proper. Today the five-lane highway bridge is 3,400 m (11,236 ft) in length, including the approach viaducts. There are approximately 35 million vehicle crossings annually making it the second busiest bridge in Canada that is operated by the Federal Bridge Corporation Limited, the first being Champlain Bridge, just a few kilometres upstream. However, Jacques-Cartier Bridge is the third busiest bridge in Canada overall after the Port Mann Bridge in Vancouver, connecting Surrey to Coquitlam. Its daily traffic is of around one hundred vehicles. The bridge was built by Philip Louis Pratley (1884-1958), Canada’s foremost designer of long-span highway bridges in the first half of the 20th century. P.L. Pratley created a number of exceptional works that have become Canadian landmarks.

During his career as a consulting engineer in Montréal he used the latest design theories and structural materials to build elegant, state-of-the-art structures. Several of his outstanding bridges have become widely recognized as symbols of their cities, including the Lions Gate in Vancouver, the Jacques-Cartier in Montreal, and the Angus L. Macdonald in Halifax. His monumental projects link the highways of the nation from coast to coast. Panoramic view of Jacques-Cartier Bridge. Photo : © V. Petrovsky Jacques-Cartier Bridge at dusk. Photo : © V. Petrovsky Jacques-Cartier Bridge is a five lanes bridge. Photo : © V. Petrovsky During the summer season, the bridge is regularly completely closed to vehicular traffic for the fireworks competition held at La Ronde. It becomes foot traffic only, sometimes drawing crowds of 50,000 people or even more. Photo : © V. Petrovsky In 2004, a suicide prevention barrier was installed. Until then the bridge saw an average of 10 suicides a year., one of the highest rates in the world. Photo : © V. Petrovsky To accommodate large ships using the new St.

Lawrence Seaway, the span over the east channel of the river (the Warren truss) was raised an additional 80 feet (to 120 feet) in 1957 and 1958. Traffic flow over the bridge was uninterrupted by this construction, through the installation of two Bailey bridges. Photo : © V. Petrovsky See also: Jacques Cartier Bridge - COWI COWI ​Jacques Cartier Bridge, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Summary ​While contract documents permitted and encouraged alternate deck systems, the winning proponent advanced the precast deck system and the replacement strategy developed by COWI Bridge - the only proponent to do so. Page Content ​This steel truss cantilever bridge, built in 1930, links the City of Montréal with the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. The bridge carries five lanes of traffic and approximately 43 million vehicles cross the bridge every year. The total length, including approach spans, is 3.4 km (2.11 miles), with a main span of 334 m (1095 ft.).

COWI Bridge was originally retained by the Owner to provide expert consulting engineering services and advice in the preparation of Design-Build contract documents for the redecking of the bridge. COWI Bridge was later retained as Owner's Engineer for the construction of the redecking. The existing deck system consisted of a concrete deck with steel stringers. From 1998 to 2000, COWI Bridge developed base case conceptual redecking designs and strategies for both precast and cast-in-place concrete replacement systems. Both systems reflected PJCCI's requirements for high quality and durability. COWI Bridge prepared Design-Build drawings and contract documents for the preferred precast deck replacement system, which was to be completed under traffic and within a difficult schedule. These documents were completed by March 2000 and a contract was awarded in September 2000. While contract documents permitted and encouraged alternate deck systems, the winning proponent advanced the precast deck system and the replacement strategy developed by COWI Bridge - the only proponent to do so.

Second page content Jacques Cartier, Explorer of Canada Between June 7 and December 23, 1491 in St-Malo, France Death September 1, 1557 in St-Malo, France Accomplishments of Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier gave Canada its name when he misunderstood or misused the Iroquois word for village "kanata" to mean the name of the whole area. He discovered Prince Edward Island in 1534. He was the first explorer of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Jacques Cartier built a fort at Stadacona, where Quebec City is now located. Further up the St. Lawrence, Cartier had Indian guides lead him to Hochelaga ( Montreal ). Jacques Cartier was the first explorer to chart the St. Lawrence River. Major Expeditions of Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier led three voyages to the St Lawrence region in 1534, 1535-36 and 1541-42. Cartier's First Voyage 1534 With two ships and 61 crewmen, Cartier arrived off the barren shores of Newfoundland just 20 days after setting sail.

He wrote "I am rather inclined to believe that this is the land God gave to Cain." The expedition entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the Strait of Belle Isle, going south along the Magdalen Islands, and reached what are now the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick . Going west to the Gaspé, he met several hundred Iroquois from Stadacona (now Quebec City ) who were there for the fishing and seal hunt. He planted a cross at Pointe-Penouille to claim the area for France, although he told Chief Donnacona it was just a landmark. The expedition then headed for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, capturing two of Chief Donnacona's sons, Domagaya and Taignoagny, to take along. They went through the strait separating Anticosti Island from the north shore, but did not discover the St. Lawrence River before returning to France. The Second Voyage 1535-1536 Cartier set out on a larger expedition the next year, with 110 men and three ships adapted for river navigation. Donnacona's sons had told Cartier about the St.

Lawrence River and the “Kingdom of the Saguenay,” in an effort no doubt to get a trip home, and those became the objectives of the second voyage. After a long sea crossing, the ships entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence and then went up the "Canada River," later named the St. Lawrence River. Guided to Stadacona, the expedition decided to spend the winter there. Before winter set in, they traveled up the river to Hochelaga, the site of present-day Montreal . Returning to Stadacona, they faced deteriorating relations with the natives, and a severe winter. Nearly a quarter of the crew died of scurvy, although Domagaya did save many with a remedy made from evergreen bark and twigs. Tensions grew by spring however, and the French feared being attacked. They seized 12 hostages, including Donnacona, Domagaya and Taignoagny, and set sail for home. Cartier's Third Voyage 1541-1542 Reports back, including those from the hostages, were so encouraging that King François decided on a huge colonizing expedition.

He put military officer Jean-François de la Rocque, Sieur de Roberval, in charge, although the explorations were to be left to Cartier. The war in Europe and the massive logistics, including the difficulties of recruiting, for the colonization effort, slowed Roberval down, and Cartier, with 1500 men, arrived in Canada a year ahead of Roberval. They settled at the bottom of the cliffs of Cap-Rouge, where they built forts. Cartier made a second trip to Hochelaga, but he turned back when he found that the route past the Lachine Rapids was too difficult. On his return he found the tiny colony under siege from the Stadacona natives. After a difficult winter, Cartier gathered drums filled with what he thought were gold, diamonds and metal and sailed for home. Cartier's ships met Roberval's fleet just arrivng in St.John's, Newfoundland . Roberval ordered Cartier and his men to return to Cap-Rouge. Cartier ignored the order and sailed for France with his precious cargo. Unfortunately when he arrived in France he found that his cargo was really iron pyrite and quartz. Roberval's settlement efforts were also a failure.

Jacques Cartier's Ships Champlain Bridge, Montreal - iSnare Free Encyclopedia Champlain Bridge, Montreal Not to be confused with Champlain Bridge (Ottawa) or Champlain Bridge (United States) . Champlain Bridge The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. Website (including approaches and Bonaventure Expressway ) Opened Toll Collected until 1990 The Champlain Bridge ( French : Pont Champlain) is a steel truss cantilever bridge with approach viaducts constructed of prestressed concrete beams supporting a prestressed concrete deck paved with asphalt. The bridge crosses the Saint Lawrence River and Saint Lawrence Seaway , connecting the Montreal boroughs of Verdun and Le Sud-Ouest to Brossard on the South Shore . The bridge, with approaches, is approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) long. When the project began, it was designated as the "Nuns' Island Bridge" because it crosses over Nuns' Island . In 1958, it was officially named the Champlain Bridge in honour of the explorer Samuel de Champlain , who founded Quebec City in 1608.

Together with the Jacques Cartier Bridge , it is administered by the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI), a Canadian Crown Corporation which reports to Infrastructure Canada . The bridge sees about 50 million crossings per year of which are 200,000 buses. On an average weekday, 66% of users are commuters. It is one of the busiest single-span bridges in Canada. [3] The concrete structure has been degraded by the use of de-icing salt, requiring expensive mitigation. In 2016 construction began on a replacement bridge designed to handle higher volumes of traffic. [3] Contents 7 External links Specifications The Champlain Bridge project was undertaken in 1955 and construction proceeded between 1957 and 1962. The bridge carries six lanes of vehicle traffic; three in each direction. During rush hour one lane of those heading off the island in the morning, and onto the island in the evening, is used as a reserved bus lane for buses to be able to head in the opposite direction. The bridge was opened to traffic in stages as the approaches were completed between June, 1962 and September, 1964.

It was subsequently connected to the Bonaventure Expressway, which is part of the north approach to the bridge. The expressway was opened to traffic on April 21, 1967. Approximately 49 million vehicles and 196 million people cross the Champlain Bridge annually, making it one of the busiest bridges in the world. Total length of crossing complex: 14.5 km (9 mi) Total bridge length including approaches: 7,412 m (24,318 ft) Length: abutment to abutment: 3,440 m (11,290 ft) Link of viaduct to Section 1: 2,195 m (7,201 ft) Center main cantilevered span: 215 m (705 ft) Wellington Street approach: 365 m (1,198 ft) Bonaventure Expressway: 4,573 m (15,003 ft) Just upstream from the bridge there is an ice boom, the Champlain Bridge Ice Control Structure.

Construction history View from the east side of the Saint Lawrence River, July 2011 The upstream ice control structure. On August 17, 1955, federal Transport Minister George Marler first announced the planned construction of a new bridge connecting Montreal to the South Shore via Nun's Island. The city's existing bridges ( Victoria , Jacques Cartier and Honoré Mercier ) had become inadequate to support the amount of traffic that carried residents from the growing South Shore suburbs into Montréal. The National Harbours Board was placed in charge of the project. Through several lengthy meetings and consultations in the fall of 1955, the location for the bridge and its approaches were selected. Originally, the plan had been to build the bridge with only 4 lanes, with room for further expansion to 6 lanes. During the design phase, however, it was decided to go with an initial 6-lane design immediately. The bridge was opened on June 29, 1962. At the time, the bridge had only one approach from Montreal, via Wellington Street .

The section of the bridge that includes the approaches to and from Atwater Street and La Vérendrye Boulevard were opened two years later, on December 7, 1964. In 1967, the final approach to the bridge on the Montréal side was completed when the Bonaventure Expressway was opened to traffic. [4] A $0.25 toll ($0.08 if paid with tokens) was charged to finance the $35 million cost of the Champlain Bridge. The toll was collected until 1990, when the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI), which took over jurisdiction of the bridge a dozen years earlier, removed the toll plaza. [5] Currently, a new toll project exists which may result in booths returning to the predetermined spaces on Île-des-Soeurs, so that drivers can be charged for entering and exiting Montréal. The toll will not be higher than $2.00 at the beginning.[ citation needed ] Structural health Montreal's climate subjects the Champlain Bridge to wintry cold, snowfall, and windy conditions, all of which accelerate damage to the bridge.

Because of the potential danger from ice accumulation, the bridge has been salted every season for decades. But salt attacks both the concrete and steel rebar used in girders, pylons, and other parts. In 2009 the Government of Canada announced in its 2009 Economic Action Plan that it would be allocating $212 million to renew the bridge. And in March 2011, the Government of Canada announced $158 million would be spent on a major repair and maintenance program as concerns mount it is at risk of collapse. Montreal's La Presse newspaper cited two leaked engineering reports prepared for a federal bridge agency that suggest sections of the structure are in a severe state of deterioration that will progress exponentially. The report concludes that a partial or complete collapse of the span should not be ruled out. [6] In 2010, JCCBI — the Federal agency that oversees the structure — retained international engineering firm Delcan to carry out an expert study of the bridge's structural health. The firm returned a report entitled, "The Future of the Champlain Bridge Crossing".

In the Executive Summary, the bridge was said to be "functionally deficient" for both current and long-term traffic demands, and showing "significant deterioration". [7] One finding suggested that the Champlain Bridge is in "very much poorer condition than would be typical" for comparable bridges. Delcan concluded that the bridge had "many deficiencies" and, even in light of the methodical inspection and rehabilitation of the structure undertaken by its owners, that continued operation "entails some risks that cannot altogether be quantified". The CBC Television and Télévision de Radio-Canada , among other news agencies, have published segments highlighting concerns over conditions of surface roads in Montreal and the Champlain Bridge in particular. In November 2013, a crack was discovered in a critical part of the superstructure. One lane was closed immediately and emergency repair plans were put in place. During preparation, the crack enlarged and a second lane was closed. [8] Replacement bridge Planning In September 2007, the newspaper, Le Journal de Montréal , published a story about federal government plans to build a new 10-lane span next to Champlain Bridge, rather than face the increasing maintenance cost of the aging structure.

[9] Federal minister Lawrence Cannon confirmed that his ministry was seriously considering the prospect of a new bridge. [10] One month later, Novaroute, a private firm, revealed a plan to construct a two-story tunnel bridge under the river. It would contain two levels, one for buses and trains and another for all other vehicles except tractor-trailers. The tunnel would be a public-private partnership taking five years to complete, and would collect tolls. [11] In August 2008, Transport Canada , the federal ministry of transportation, confirmed that studies and scenarios were ordered to build a new bridge within 10 or 15 years. The new structure would likely be 8 to 10 lanes wide and include a light rail train to connect the South Shore to Montreal . [12] [13] In October 2011, Denis Lebel announced that the federal government would build a replacement bridge, in a plan that would take about 10 years. [14] [15] In December, 2013, he announced that the replacement bridge would be finished by 2018.

[16] In November, 2014, it was reported that the bridge would be named the Maurice Richard Bridge in honour of Montreal Canadiens ice hockey player, [17] but soon afterwards the plan was dropped due to a request from his family. [18] A study had estimated that a per-trip toll of $2.60 to $3.90 until 2030 would be required to break even on the bridge's construction, [19] however in the 2015 federal election campaign, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau promised that the new bridge would be toll-free and this was confirmed following his election as prime minister. The rapid development plan did not leave time for an international design competition, and designer Poul Ove Jensen was selected. In April 2015, The federal government selected the JV consortium: Signature on the St. Lawrence Group to build the new bridge. The consortium mainly includes: SNC-Lavalin , ACS Infrastructure and Dragados Canada. Construction Construction began in June 2015, with the new bridge expected to open 42 months later in December 2018.

[20] The bridge will include a two-lane public transit corridor for either buses or light rail , a six lane corridor for vehicles, and a multi-use corridor for cyclists and pedestrians. Components of the 4 billion dollar project include: [3] The new Champlain Bridge A new Autoroute 10 approach A new île-des-Sœurs bridge and a highway on île-des-Sœurs Improvements to nearby parts of the Autoroute 15 . The existing bridge will be demolished, along with the Champlain Bridge Ice Control Structure, once the new bridge is complete. See also Héritage Montréal Bibliography History At the time it was built, the Victoria Bridge ranked as one of the most daring structures of its day. Originally designed for rail traffic, it confounded all the skeptics … and there were many of them in 1850 who doubted that a structure this size could be successfully built. However, necessity is the mother of invention: the coming of the railway and Montreal's position as the Canadian trading hub made it imperative to build a railway bridge across the St. Lawrence River. Whatever the cost, this city surrounded by water had to be linked to the vast U.S. market.

The Grand Trunk Railway launched a gigantic construction project, and the celebrated engineer Robert Stephenson drew up the plans for a tubular structure made of riveted iron plates. The Montreal public and business community went wild with excitement. During construction, which started in 1854, the Victoria Bridge was already being called “the eighth wonder of the world!” The festivities began while it was still being built, and before it was even officially inaugurated. In one of the most remarkable of these, a banquet, complete with orchestral accompaniment, was held inside the first completed pier, some twenty metres below water level! The bridge was opened to rail traffic on December 12, 1859, but the celebrations reached their peak when the young, nineteen-year-old Prince of Wales laid the last stone on August 25, 1860. For several days straight, the city was filled with balls and demonstrations of pride about the Victoria Bridge, the longest railway bridge in the world and the first to span the St. Lawrence River.

Victoria Bridge (drawing) ï¿½ Bibliothï¿½que et Archives nationales du Quï¿½bec, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Victoria Bridge engraving ï¿½ Division des archives de l'Universitï¿½ de Montrï¿½al, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Workers at the entrance to Victoria Bridge ï¿½ Courtesy of Bell Canada Historical Collection, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Men posing at the entrance of the Victoria Jubilee Bridge ï¿½ Transports Quï¿½bec ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Victoria Bridge, workers in construction ï¿½ Bibliothï¿½que et Archives nationales du Quï¿½bec, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Entrance to Victoria Bridge, Montreal, QC, 1896 Alfred Walter Roper 12 cm x 10 cm ï¿½ McCord Museum, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Central tube, Victoria bridge

, Montrï¿½al, QC, 1859 William Notman 26 cm x 21 cm ï¿½ McCord Museum, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Interior, Victoria Bridge, Montreal, QC, 1858 William Notman 7 cm x 7.3 cm ï¿½ McCord Museum, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al The Men who contructed the Victoria bridge 1897-1899 ï¿½ Rare Books and Special Collections Division, McGill University Library, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Inauguration of Victoria Bridge and fireworks (drawing) ï¿½ Division des archives de l'Universitï¿½ de Montrï¿½al, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Ticket for the inauguration of Victoria Bridge 1860 ï¿½ Division des archives de l'Universitï¿½ de Montrï¿½al, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Distinguished guests at

 the inauguration of the Victoria Jubilee Bridge ï¿½ Transports Quï¿½bec ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Victoria Bridge ï¿½ Bibliothï¿½que et Archives nationales du Quï¿½bec, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Photograph of the deck of the Victoria bridge ï¿½ Rare Books and Special Collections Division, McGill University Library, ï¿½ Hï¿½ritage Montrï¿½al Articles | Encyclopédie du patrimoine culturel de l'Amérique française – histoire, culture, religion, héritage Quebec City’s Cantilever Bridge par L'Hébreux, Michel The Pont de Québec [Bridge] has left its mark on the history of transportation and engineering in Canada.

It is the world's longest cantilever bridge, with 549 metres of clear span between its main pillars; it exceeds the Firth of Forth Bridge near Edinburgh, Scotland, by 28 metres. At the beginning of the 20th century, the promoters of the Quebec Bridge project described the endeavour as the future eighth wonder of the world, particularly because its construction represented such a colossal challenge for the era. In fact, this feat of civil engineering was accomplished with great difficulty, and that, only after decades of expectation and two unsuccessful attempts that caused the death of 89 workers. The Quebec Bridge was, at last, successfully completed on September 20th, 1917, as over 125,000 spectators watched enthusiastically. Today it is considered as a world-class engineering masterpiece and has been designated as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Site of Canada. Article disponible en français : Pont de Québec The Dramatic Initial Phase of the Construction of the Quebec Bridge On October 2nd, 1900, during a grandiose ceremony, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, then Prime Minister of Canada, laid the first stone for the northern pillar of the Quebec Bridge.

Accompanied by Simon-Napoléon Parent, mayor of Quebec City and president of the Quebec Bridge & Railway Co. that would be helping with the bridge project; Laurier launched the construction project, which would be supervised by the Phoenix Bridge Co. of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. During the building of the superstructure, which was started in the summer of 1905, problems multiplied quickly. Workers found it difficult to align the various component parts and realized that a number of sections were bending. These troubling difficulties raised certain concerns, but Theodore Cooper, the chief engineer, who was supervising the construction from his New York City office, remained reassuring. Since Cooper was widely trusted and considered an expert, the young, inexperienced engineer whom the American had entrusted to monitor the work forged on ahead. However, on August 29th, 1907, while about 100 workers were busy erecting the iron structure, with only 20 or so minutes left in their shift, a catastrophe occurred. A terrible noise that could be heard many kilometres away filled the air and the entire southern segment of the bridge, all 391 metres of it collapsed onto the shore and into the river, causing the death of 76 people.

In the months that followed, a commission of inquiry would establish that the collapse of the bridge was due to fundamental errors in the blueprint design, combined with a lack of judgment on the part of Theodore Cooper. Cooper had modified the original blueprints by increasing the distance between the main pillars from 488 to 549 metres without revising his other calculations. The pretext he gave was that he wanted to facilitate construction of the pillars and protect them from ice during the winter, but his main objective may well have been to make the Quebec Bridge the world's longest cantilever bridge, without taking the necessary precautions. The Second Phase: Construction Begins Anew under the Auspices of the Canadian Government In 1908, the Canadian government took over reconstruction of the bridge, since the structure constituted an essential link between Quebec City and the Transcontinental Railway which, in those days, still passed through Lévis on the other side of the St. Lawrence River. The government appointed a committee made up of three engineers and told them to draw up new specifications. After a dispute which led to the resignation of the committee chairman, responsibility for constructing the bridge was left in the hands of the St.

Lawrence Bridge Co., the product of a consortium involving the Dominion Bridge Co. of Lachine, Quebec and the Canadian Bridge Co. of Walkerville, Ontario. Blueprints were prepared by the St. Lawrence Bridge Co. under the supervision of the engineering committee. Extremely strict norms were followed in order to ensure that no error would find its way into the project this time. For instance, in the new plans, the figure specifying the required quantity of steel was nearly the double of that of the first bridge. Although the construction plan remained the same-specifying a 987-meter-long cantilever bridge with a 195-metre suspension span-the president of St. Lawrence Bridge, Phelps Johnson, improved on the original design by creating a new system known as the K-truss bracing system, a truss geometry resulting in a more effective, elegant structure, easier to build than the bridge in the blueprint proposed by the engineering committee. The anchorage arm and the north-south cantilever were built between 1913 and 1916.

Then, on September 11th, 1916, the time came to raise the central span that had been constructed in Sillery Cove, which was intended to join the two cantilever arms and finish the building of the bridge. Over 100,000 people gathered in Quebec City to celebrate the big day. However, during the raising of the 5,000-ton span, a dreadful cracking sound was suddenly heard and the span began to twist and sag and then it sunk into the depths of the river with a terrible crash. Thirteen people lost their lives and fourteen more were wounded in this second tragedy, which was attributed to the defective casting of a cruciform support of the central span. These two tragedies would remain etched in shared memory of the community, as events that were almost as great as, if not greater than the feat of engineering that it took to build the bridge. Third phase: the Successful Completion of the Bridge Finally, the following year, on September 20th, 1917, before an immense crowd estimated at 125,000 people that had come from all four corners of Canada and the United States, the central span was erected without a hitch.

Quebec City was decked out in all its finery for the occasion and a number of demonstrations of joy erupted throughout the town, as workers, engineers and the general population celebrated the successful completion of this great marvel of civil engineering. An Indispensable Rail and Road Link from the North to the South Bank of the St. Lawrence River At this point, the dream that Quebec City had kept alive for so many years finally came true and the city became a national-level transportation crossroads. As of 1917, the bridge put Quebec City and its region into direct contact with the south shore of the St. Lawrence River and the United States, a link that brought the city 11 railway companies whose lines up until that time had only run along the south banks of the river. The new bridge advantageous in that it shortened the rail distances between Quebec City and Halifax, as well as Winnipeg, by several hundred kilometres. In addition, as of 1929, a 4.27-metre-wide motor lane was added to the two rail lines running on the bridge. This new addition made it possible for cars to cross the bridge as well.

Until 1949, flaggers directed traffic on the bridge and collectors gathered money from the drivers. Then as cars and trucks gradually began to crowd out railways, in keeping with the prevailing trend, the government ordered the motor lane to be expanded and removed one of the rail lines. Quebec's premier, Maurice Duplessis, officially opened this renovated version of the Quebec Bridge on May 25th, 1952. A Thrilling Engineering Feat for all Concerned During the time of its construction, the Quebec Bridge enjoyed significant international fame and influence. Highly renowned foreign engineers, such as Eiffel, Brownlee, Serrell, Cooper, and several others took an interest in the bridge or played various roles in its construction. It should also be pointed out that, in 1916, at the time of the first attempt to raise the central span; Japan delegated 200 engineers to attend this world première. For the occasion, over 100,000 people from all over Canada and even from the United States also assembled on both shores of the St. Lawrence River in order to be eye witnesses to this feat of engineering.

Newspapers reported that never before had such a crowd been seen in Quebec City and that the hotels could not accommodate the visitors who, and so most of spent the night camping in the open air. In 1917, 125,000 people looked on as the central span of the Quebec Bridge was successfully erected. The Quebec Bridge is still mentioned today in international engineering publications as the best illustration of the cantilever bridge technique, and of course, as the longest bridge of its kind in the world. This influence and renown is due to the courage and tenacity of the Quebecois who saw this great project to its completion, in spite of all the obstacles that arose along the way. The Practical Uses and the Heritage Value of the Quebec Bridge The wholesale involvement of various politicians at the beginning of the 20th century made it possible to complete the bridge that, for 50 years, Quebecois had been waiting for. At the time it was a structure that was being called the grand public work of the Confederation.

It was a sign of the times and of the international importance of this feat that the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VIII, King of England) came to officially open the Quebec Bridge in 1919. The bridge provided Quebec City and the surround area with a direct link to the south banks of the St. Lawrence River, as well as to the United States. Earlier, during the mid-19th century, the railroad had brought great prosperity to Lévis, where the Grand Trunk Railway Company had pushed for the construction of reception facilities for immigrants, as well as a number of hotels to accommodate travellers in transit. Railroad-related activities required a large workforce, and so, the population of Lévis considerably increased. Momentum shifted with the building of the Quebec Bridge, and as a consequence, the arrival of transcontinental railway companies greatly boosted the development of Quebec City, which, in addition to being the provincial capital, it had a larger population than Lévis. Classed as a masterpiece of civil engineering at the time of its successful completion, the Quebec Bridge has continued to be awarded recognition.

(NOTE 1) In 1987, it was designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers and by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. Only four works of civil engineering have ever received such an honour throughout the entire world. At the end of January 1996, it was the Canadian government's turn to honour the Quebec Bridge by declaring it a National Historic Site, thus recognizing it as the most important work in the history of Canadian civil engineering. The Present and Future of the Quebec Bridge To a certain extent, the Quebec Bridge is to Quebec City what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris or the Statue of Liberty to New York City, even though the bridge's status as a tourist attraction is hardly comparable. The three structures have acquired a symbolic value for the local populations, whose sense of identity is tied to these landmarks. (NOTE 2) In October 2001, an architectural lighting project designed to cause the bridge's colour to vary according to the rhythm of the St. Lawrence River's tides was completed. Unfortunately, the finished product was considered a disappointment given the unimpressive lighting effects and the high expectations that the project had raised.

Its designers hope to have the opportunity to improve their lighting system, so as to better showcase this masterpiece of engineering. Over the last 20 years, the Quebec Bridge has been having serious corrosion problems. In 1987, the Coalition pour la Sauvegarde et la Mise en Valeur du Pont de Québec [Coalition for safeguarding and Maintaining the Quebec Bridge] was created. And so, after several years efforts, the group managed to convince the three main entities responsible for the bridge's maintenance (the governments of Canada and Quebec and the Canadian National Railway Company) to sign two successive restoration agreements. In 1993, the Canadian government sold the Quebec Bridge and various railway right-of-way corridors situated throughout the country to a then crown corporation now known as Canadian National for the nominal fee of $1. In return, the company promised to completely restore the bridge. However, in 1995, the federal government privatized Canadian National, and as a consequence, a new 10-year tripartite agreement had to be renegotiated. Unfortunately, when the agreement lapsed in 2005, only 40 percent of the bridge had been repainted and made rust free.

As it happened, Canadian National refused to invest any more money in bridge renovations, and so, work was interrupted. Faced with the deadlock that ensued in spite of intense negotiations, in 2007, the Canadian government vowed to initiate legal proceedings against Canadian National, in order to force the company to finish the repair work that it had begun on the Quebec Bridge. This conflict reflects a profound difference of opinion concerning the heritage value of the Quebec Bridge. On the one hand, a private company having taken over ownership of a very valuable community facility refuses to invest a penny more to restore the splendour of yesteryear and to guarantee that the work will last for years to come. On the other hand, a coalition of individuals and organizations is pressuring the company (as are the governments in Ottawa and Quebec City) to protect and enhance this masterpiece of civil engineering, so that future generations can also benefit from this unique heritage. It can only be hoped that this latest episode in the stormy history of the Quebec Bridge will end happily. Particularly because the bridge has the potential to once again become a large-scale attraction to be treasured by the regional tourist industry-provided that it is protected and enhanced as it should be.

Michel L'Hébreux NOTES Note 1: This is a good place to mention that the Seven Wonders of the World were designated during ancient times by a Greek named Philo of Byzantium who did so about three centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ. Of the seven wonders identified at that time, only the pyramids of Egypt have lasted to this day. The Quebec Bridge has therefore never been officially categorized as a Wonder of the World. Note 2: It should be pointed out that including its approach spans the Quebec Bridge is the equivalent in length to three times the height of the Eiffel Tower and that it weighs nearly nine and a half times more than the French landmark. In Canada, the Jacques Cartier Bridge, completed in 1929, ranks 13th among all cantilever bridges with its 334.37-metre main span. BIBLIOGRAPHY L'Hébreux, Michel, Le pont de Québec, Sillery, Éditions Septentrion, 2001, 255 p.

L'Hébreux, Michel, Ce sera le plus grand pont du monde, Montréal, Éditions Les 400 coups, 2005, 32 p.

Question: In which city does the Jacques Cartier Bridge span the St. Lawrence River?
Answer: MONTREAL